Trim panel construction



Nov. 23, 1937. w. c. osBoRN 2,099,989

TRIM PANEL CONSTRUGT I ON Filed May ll, 1936 INVENTOR WILLIAM C. OSBORNORNEY Patented Nov. 23, ,1937` PATENT OFFICE TRIM PANEL CONSTRUCTIONwilliam o. ostern, mma, Mien., mimo: u

The Murray Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMay 1l, 1938, Serlal'No. 78,985 s calmi.` (ci. 154-45.

This invention relates to inner trim panel constructions primarilyintended for use in automotive vehicles. More particularly it relates toa novel and improved form of inner trim panel, which is of particularlysimple construction and attractive appearance.

Inner trim panels of the type with which the invention of the presentapplication is concerned, generally comprise a relatively stiif backingsheet member of cardboard of other similar. suitable, still sheetmaterial, to'which is applied a substantially coextensive layer 0ffibrous, non- .,woven. loosely felted padding material. A section ofcloth or suitable fabric finish trim material is stretchedtightlypverthe "surface of the padding material and in its marginal edges isadhesively secured to the rear surface of the backing sheet, in order toretain the trim panel as a whole in assembled position and provide aunitary construction. It is a primary object of the present invention toprovide a trim panel construction of this general type, in whichapertures are provided in the padding material in order that the fabricfinish material may be directly secured to the backing sheet at isolatedpoints throughout its surface in order to more firmly retain the.padding material in proper position and at the same time provide aparticularly attractive and unique finish appearance.

In accordance with the practice of the present invention, the backingsheets are blanked out by means of a conventional blanking press and thesections of padding material are blanked out from a section of feltedmaterial to provide an outer configuration substantially identical withthe backing sheets. 'I'he present invention contemplates the provisionof an inner trim panel construction in which the fabric iinish materialprovides substantially the sole means for securing the layer of paddingmaterial in predetermined, superimposed position with respect to thepacking sheet with which it is associated.

Many other and further objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become clearly apparent from the 44following speciilcation whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a partthereof.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective viewl of a backin sheetparticularly adaptable for use in the formation of the improved innertrim panels;v

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section of padding material blankedout to form, for application to the backing sheet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view o f a completely assembled innertrim panel. utilising the backing sheet and padding section shown inFigures land 2; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3, illustrating 5 in detail the manner in which the respectiveparts in the improved inner trim panel construction 4are assembled.

It will be appreciated that inner trim panels, such as the specificembodiment illustrated in 10 the drawing, are primarily adapted for thepurpose of providing an attractive surface finish for the interiorportion of automotive vehicle bodies. While the present inventionrelates primarily to an inner trim panel construction, it will be read-15 ily appreciated that certain features thereof will find wide andpractical utility in other ilelds.

.. The inner trim panel construction shown in the drawing comprises abacking sheet 5. which, as is conventional in the art, is formed ofcardzo board or other suitable relatively stiff sheet material, and, asis seen in Figure 1, this sheet is blanked out to a conguration the sameas the configuration of the particular portion of the exterior of thevehicle which the nally com- 2o pleted inner trim panel is adapted tocover. In the specinc embodiment of the invention shown. the particulartrim panel is of a shape adapted to cover the lower portion of anautomobile door and consequently the cardboard backing sheet 80 I isshaped accordingly. As is conventional in constructions of this kind,the backing sheet is provided around its marginal edge with a pluralityof holes l which holes are adapted to receive metallic fasteners usedfor the purpose of mount- 35 ing the inner trim panel in position uponthe door of the vehicle with which it is later to be wassociated. Inaddition to the holes I adiav to secure the central portion of the sheetin position on the door, as may -be desired.

In addition, the backing sheet is preformed to provide a pair of holes 8and l, respectively, which holes serve to permit the passage oi' theshafts for operating the door latch and window regulator mechanism, suchas is conventional in vehicle door constructions.

' A layer of padding material il is provided 5 which is adapted to besuperimposed upon the backing .sheet B. The padding material generallyused for this purpose ispreferably iute and in the present instance, thepadding material is generated by means of Garnett machines, which 5provide a plurality of layers which are subsequently adhesively bondedtogether in order to give some rigidity and body to the pad thus formed,in order that it may be blanked out in a conventional die press to thedesired form. It will be noted that the section of padding material I0is blanked out to provide an outer configuration substantially identicalwith the outer configuration of the backing sheet 5 with whichv it is tobe associated, and it is noted that the layer of padding material I0 isprovided with holes II adapted to register with the holes 8 and 9 forthe window regulator and' latch control mechanism. In addition to theholes II, the padding layer I0 is blanked out to provide a plurality ofelongated apertures I 2, which apertures are shown in the drawing asextending in a vertical direction and substantially symmetricallyarranged with respect to the padding material as a whole. In addition tothe vertically extending apertures I2, the padding material may beblanked out to provide a horizontally extending aperture I3 extendingtransversely of the width of the padding material underneath the uppermarginal edge thereof.

It will be readily appreciated that the apertures I2 and I3 may assumeany desired form or arrangement in order to provide an attractivesurface appearance to the finished panel, as will hereinafter be moreclearly seen.

In the assembly of the improved panel, the layer of padding material I0,after it has been blanked out to substantially the finally desired form,is superimposed upon the coextensive backing sheet E and a section offabric finish trim material I5 is stretched over the assembled backingsheet and padding.

The fabric finish trim material is preferably of cloth to provide anattractive exterior appearance to the panel as a whole and is preferablycut out to a form substantially similar in shape to the backing sheetand the padding layer only being formed sufficiently large so that amarginal edge is available for assembling the parts together. As will beclearly seen by reference to Figure 4, the marginal edge I6 of thisfabric finish material is folded over and around the marginal edge ofthe padding material and backing sheet and is preferably adhesivelysecured to the rear surface of the cardboard backing sheet B. The fabricfinish material may conveniently be adhesively secured to the face ofthe backing sheet 5 in the apertures I2 and I3, consequently forming thefabric finish material to substantially the surface configuration of theblanked out section of padding material. It will therefore be seen thatthe apertures I2 and'l3 stamped in the padding material provide surfaceirregularities in the fabric finish material which create a particularlyattractive and effective appearance' in the completely assembled trimpanel as a whole.

Further, it will be appreciated that the securement of the fabric finishtrim material to the backing sheet in these apertures serves to providemeans by which the fabric finishmaterial and the backing sheet may besecured together at a plurality of points throughout the surfacesthereof in order to accurately and permanently retain the relativelysoft padding material in position with respect to the backing sheet.Moreover, it will be further appreciated that the securement of thepadding material in these apertures tends to tension and stretch thesame in order that the exterior appearance of the ,trim panel as a wholewill be smooth and attractive.

It will be readily appreciated that the apertures I2 and I3 are merelyillustrative of a certain specified form and arrangement of apertureswhich have been found to provide a trim panel of attractive appearancewhen completely assembled, and that very effective results may beobtained by a substantial departure from the specific arrangement ofapertures shown.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described, many other and further embodiments thereof, fallingwithin the scope of the subjoined claims, will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A trim panel construction including, in combination, a relativelystiff cardboard backing sheet, a layer of loosely felted non-wovenpadding material adhesively secured to said backing sheet, said paddingmaterial having a marginal configuration substantially congruent to saidbacking sheet, said padding being formed to provide an aperture therein,spaced inwardly from the marginal edge thereof, and a section of fabricfinish material covering said padded backing sheet, the marginal edgesof said fabric finish material being secured to said backing sheet, saidfabric finish material being further secured to said backing sheet insaid aperture.

2. A trim panel construction including, in combination, a relativelystiff cardboard backing sheet, a layer of loosely felt non-woven fibrouspadding material adhesively secured to said backing sheet, said paddingmaterial having a marginal configuration substantially congruent to saidbacking sheet, said padding being formed to provide a plurality ofspaced, separate apertures thereinand a. section of fabric finishmaterial covering said padded backing sheet, the marginal edges of saidfabric finish material being secured to said backing sheet, said fabricfinishing being further secured to said backing sheet in said aperturesto retain the padding material in position thereon.

3. A trim panel construction including, in combination, a relativelystiff backing sheet, a section of loosely felted fibrous paddingmaterial having a plurality of apertures therein adhesively secured tosaid backing sheet, and a section of fabric finish material having themarginal edges thereof secured to the side of said backing sheet, saidfabric finish material being further secured to said. backing sheet inthe apertures formed in said padding material thus serving to retainsaid fabric finish material in predetermined position on said backingsheet.

4. A trim panel construction including, in combination, a relativelystiff cardboard backing sheet, a layer of loosely felted non-wovenfibrous padding material adhesively secured to one surface thereof, saidpadding material having a marginal configuration substantially congruentto said backing sheet, said padding material having strips cut therefromalong lines substantially parallel to the marginal edges of said backingsheet and spaced inwardly therefrom, and a section of fabric finishmaterial secured over said padded backing sheet and secured to saidbacking sheet in the zones from which said padding material has beenremoved.

5. A trim panel construction including, in combination, a relativelystili' cardboard backing sheet, a preformed section of loosely feltednonwoven fibrous padding material secured thereto. said section ofpadding material having elongated apertures therein disposedsubstantially parallel to the marginal edges thereof and spacedinpadding material having a plurality oi' apertures wardly therefrom,and a section of fabric finish therethrough, said apertures being spacedinmaterial stretched over the surface of said padded wardly from themarginal edges of said section backing sheet and secured to said backingsheet of padding material and distributed throughout 5 in said elongatedopenings to retain the padding the surface thereof, and a section offabric finish material in position with respect to said backing materialtensioned over said padding material sheet. and adhesively secured tothe backing sheet 6. Atrim panel construction including, in comthroughsaid apertures to retain said padding bination, a relatively stiffcardboard backing material in position thereon.

l0 sheet, a layer of loosely felted non-woven fibrous i padding materialadhesively secured thereto, said WILLIAM C.' OSBORN.

